RARE BEAUTY
BLUSHIN’ THE DAY AWAY
BY AVERY ST. GEORGE PHOTOS BY KITTY CRINO
When you hear Selena Gomez's name, you may think of some of her popular work on Disney Channel or her successful singing career. Recently, though, Gomez decided to try her luck in the makeup and beauty industry, and it’s been going very well for her.
Gomez, as a child star, grew up in the spotlight and has been very open on social media about her struggles with body image and finding herself in the public eye. Her mission for her beauty brand, Rare Beauty, is to encourage its customers to embrace their individuality, promote mental health awareness, and provide resources to help young people. Gomez wants her makeup and skincare products to create a more positive self-image for its customers, and she wants them to feel good wearing them.
Many celebrities or influencers have tried to break into the billion-dollar beauty industry, but most of them have not found much success. One of the products that sets Gomez’s Rare Beauty apart from the multitude of celebrity makeup brands is her liquid blush line. This blush blew up on social media because of its highly pigmented formula, and it transformed Rare Beauty into a hot commodity in the makeup world.
The Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush has become so popular that it has its own collection of dupes. The original blush is priced at $23, but there are many cheaper alternatives for those who don’t want to spend the money. Makeup Revolution’s Blush Bomb at $9 and Elf Cosmetics Camo Liquid Blush at $7 are both decent substitutes, but Elf’s blush has more shades than the Makeup Revolution blush, which gives it the potential to be the best alternative to Rare Beauty.
Another one of Rare Beauty’s top-selling products is the Liquid Luminizer highlighter. The highlighter has a shimmery look and, like the blush, is very pigmented, so a little goes a long way. If you’re looking for a similar liquid highlighter, Elf Cosmetics has the Halo Glow highlight for $9, but with only three shades, this might not work for everyone. Wet n Wild also makes a liquid highlight called the MegaGlo highlighter for $5.99 with five shades, so definitely try that out if you don’t want to spend $25 on the Rare Beauty version.
Rare Beauty also boasts its Soft Pinch Tinted Lip Oil, which applies glossy and then fades into a simple tint that doesn’t stick or rub off. This product has satisfied reviews from customers, and at $20 it’s almost half the price of another popular lip oil—the Dior Addict Lip Glow Oil. As far as the drug store versions go, Elf Cosmetics has the Glow Reviver Lip Oil for $8, and NYX has the Fat Oil Lip Drip for $9. The only issue with these products is that cheaper lip oils tend to be more similar to a gloss with a stickier formula. If you’re looking for the real lip oil effect with a smoother application, you may just want to consider dishing out the money for this one.
Rare Beauty’s rise to fame over the past few years into a high-end makeup brand shows that celebrity make-up brands can be successful. Gomez is truly a force to be reckoned with as she has managed to have success in acting, singing, and now the beauty industry. It will be interesting to see where she goes from here and what new products Rare Beauty will bring in the future.
